The Ridgefield Library will be celebrating the vision, works and lasting impact of author H.G. Wells with special programming for all ages this fall. Herbert George Wells (1866 –1946) was an English writer best remembered for his science fiction novels and has been called the “father of science fiction.”
In addition to his fame as a writer, he was prominent in his lifetime as a forward-looking, even prophetic social critic who devoted his literary talents to the development of a progressive vision on a global scale. He foresaw the advent of aircraft, tanks, space travel, nuclear weapons, satellite television and something resembling the World Wide Web. His science fiction imagined time travel, alien invasion, invisibility, and biological engineering. His most notable science fiction works include The Time Machine (1895), which was his first novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898).
Some of the highlights of the series are as follows – all programs will be held in person at the Ridgefield Library, unless otherwise noted:
On Sunday, September 25 at 2 p.m., Dr. Mark Schenker, Senior Associate Dean at Yale College, will present a special lecture on The Works and Vision of H.G. Wells.
On Thursday, October 6 at 7 p.m., Adult Services Librarian Kelly-Ann Gardella will lead a book discussion of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The novel is a lavish historical reimagining of Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau, set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico. Copies of the book are available in print at the Library and digitally through our downloadable services. Please contact AdultServicesDesk@ridgefieldlibrary.org for more information.
On Halloween, Monday, October 31 at 7 p.m. join us for an exciting opportunity to hear the famous 1938 radio broadcast with Orson Welles of The War of the Worlds. Participants will listen together in the Main Program Room, and prior to the program Scott Schulte will give some background information about the original broadcast and the panic it (supposedly) caused. Schulte coaches podcasters, broadcasters and members of the business community, and performs in video and audio trainings.
On Thursday, November 10 at 7 p.m., a special Artscapades program will look at Futurism in the Time of Wells, examining the lives and works of four leading artists in the Futurist movement, Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini and C.R. W. Nevinson.
On Thursday, November 17 at 7 p.m., Dr. Arthur Caplan will give a timely lecture about bioethics, now and in the future. Professor Caplan is currently the founding head of the Division of Bioethics at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City, and is the head of the ethics program in the Global Institute for Public Health at NYU.
On Friday, December 2 at 11am the series concludes with a H.G. Wells movie marathon in the Main Program Room. We’ll be screening The Invisible Man (1933), The Time Machine (1960), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) and a fascinating recent documentary about Wells, Future Tense (2016)
There will also be many fun, Wells-inspired programs for children and teens taking place this fall, including science fiction writing workshops, puzzle design workshops, craft programs and more. Visit our Events Calendar at ridgefieldlibrary.org for details.
Seeing Beyond: The Works and Vision of H.G. Wells is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Friend of the Ridgefield Library. To register for any program or for more information visit ridgefieldlibrary.org or call 203-438-2282.